Colubrina oppositifolia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Colubrina oppositifolia |
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Colubrina
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| Species: |
oppositifolia
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The kauila tree (scientific name: Colubrina oppositifolia) is a special kind of flowering tree. It is found only in Hawaii, meaning it is endemic to these islands.
You can find kauila trees in different types of Hawaiian forests. These include dry forests, coastal forests, and mixed forests. They grow at elevations from about 240 to 920 meters (790 to 3,020 feet). Most kauila trees live on the islands of Oʻahu (in the Waiʻanae Range) and Hawaiʻi. On Hawaiʻi, they are found on the slopes of Kohala, Hualālai, and Mauna Loa volcanoes. Sadly, only one kauila tree is left on the island of Maui.
What Does the Kauila Tree Look Like?
This amazing tree can grow quite tall, reaching heights of 5 to 13 meters (about 16 to 43 feet). Its trunk is covered in gray-brown bark that often peels off. The smaller branches and twigs are a reddish color.
The leaves of the kauila tree grow in pairs, opposite each other on the stem. They have a pointed oval shape. The tree produces small, yellow-green flowers. These flowers grow in clusters of 10 to 12. After the flowers, the tree grows a round fruit. This fruit is a capsule that bursts open to release its seeds.
How Was Kauila Wood Used?
Native Hawaiians greatly valued the hard wood from the kauila tree. They also used wood from a similar tree called Alphitonia ponderosa. Both types of wood were known as kauila.
Because both trees were called kauila, it's hard to know exactly which one was used for every item. However, people believe kauila wood was used for many important tools and objects. These included posts for houses (pou) and special beaters for making kapa cloth. Kapa beaters could be round (hohoa) or square (ʻiʻe kūkū).
The strong wood was also used for weapons and hunting tools. This included harpoons (ʻō), fishing net shuttles (hiʻa kā ʻupena), and javelins (ihe paheʻe). Longer spears (pololū) and daggers (pāhoa) were also made from kauila. Even clubs (lāʻa pālau) and shark tooth clubs (leiomano) might have used this wood.
Other uses included digging sticks (ʻōʻō) for farming. Pieces of wood were also used for a traditional Hawaiian game called ʻume. Finally, the wood was used to make musical bows called ʻūkēkē.
Why is the Kauila Tree Endangered?
The kauila tree is now very rare in the wild. It used to be a common tree in the forests where it grew. But now, there are fewer than 300 wild trees left. This means it is an endangered species in the United States.
Many things threaten the survival of the kauila tree. Some new plants brought to Hawaii compete with the kauila. Wild animals like feral pigs and goats also damage the trees. Rats can harm the trees too. A tiny insect called the black twig borer (Xylosandrus compactus) also causes problems.
Another big reason for its decline was overharvesting by people. Because its wood was so hard and useful, too many trees were cut down.
